Fluctuations of the cardiac function with extraanatomical bypass in dogs

A study was conducted to evaluate in situ whether acutely reduced vascular compliance significantly alters ventricular contractility and efficiency. Five mongrel dogs underwent a bypass operation in which a ePTFE was implanted to the descending thoracic aorta and connected to the infrarenal abdominal aorta in parallel with the native aorta. By switching blood flow to an artificially bypass graft, mean aortic pressure was elevated, cardiac index was decreased, and cardiac work was increased.